Thehungryheart-publicityphoto-newspaper-1917

''The Hungry Heart'' is a 1917 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed by

Robert G. Vignola Robert G. Vignola (born Rocco Giuseppe Vignola, August 7, 1882 – October 25, 1953) was an Italian-American actor, screenwriter, and film director. A former stage actor, he appeared in many motion pictures produced by Kalem Company and later mov ...

and written by

Charles Maigne Charles Maigne (November 11, 1879 – November 28, 1929) was an American screenwriter and film director of the silent era. He wrote for 32 films between 1916 and 1928. He also directed 18 films between 1918 and 1923. He was born in Rich ...

based upon the novel of the same name by

David Graham Phillips David Graham Phillips (October 31, 1867 – January 24, 1911) was an American novelist and journalist of the muckraker tradition. Early life Phillips was born in Madison, Indiana. After graduating from high school, Phillips entered Asbury ...

. The film stars

Pauline Frederick Pauline Frederick (born Pauline Beatrice Libbey, August 12, 1883 – September 19, 1938) was an American stage and film actress. Early life Frederick was born Pauline Beatrice Libbey (later changed to Libby) in Boston in 1883 (some sources stat ...

, Howard Hall, Robert Cain,

Helen Lindroth Helen Lindroth (December 3, 1874 – October 5, 1956) was a Swedish-born American screen and stage actress. Biography Lindroth acted on stage with the Boston Museum Stock Company and in New York City before entering motion pictures with the K ...

, and Eldean Steuart. The film was released on November 5, 1917, by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

. It is not known whether the film currently survives, and it may be a

lost film A lost film is a feature or short film that no longer exists in any studio archive, private collection, public archive or the U.S. Library of Congress. Conditions During most of the 20th century, U.S. copyright law required at least one copy o ...

Plot

As described in a film magazine, Courtney Vaughan (Frederick) is very much in love with her husband Richard (Hall). However, when he neglects her for his chemistry work, she turns to Basil Gallatin (Cain), her husband's partner and a

homewrecker A homewrecker (sometimes styled as home wrecker or home-wrecker) is a person, object or activity that causes or comes close to causing the breakup of a marriage (or similar partnership). The homewrecker is said to have taken one of the spouses ...

. When Richard learns that Courtney desires her freedom he divorces her, giving her custody of their little son. After a separation of some time, Richard returns to the home and asks permission to use the laboratory. He asks Courtney to assist him, which she does. Basil, learning that Courtney is free, returns to her only to be turned away. He then goes to Richard and demands Courtney, but Courtney tells Richard to kill both her and Basil. Basil, frightened, runs away, and Courtney and Richard make arrangements to start life anew.

Cast

as Courtney Vaughan *Howard Hall as Richard Vaughan *Robert Cain as Basil Gallatin *

as Nanny *Eldean Steuart as Winchie

Reception

Like many American films of the time, ''The Hungry Heart'' was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. The Chicago Board of Censors required cuts in reel 2 of the

intertitle In films, an intertitle, also known as a title card, is a piece of filmed, printed text edited into the midst of (i.e., ''inter-'') the photographed action at various points. Intertitles used to convey character dialogue are referred to as "dialo ...

"My love, my love, I might have killed you", the woman embracing man on balcony and entire scene of man in woman's bedroom, in reel 4 the intertitles "Old Nanny's paralyzed. I found her yesterday morning in the hallway" and "You need not fear to confess that he took advantage of a weak moment", and in reel 5 the intertitles "I have no desire to punish, but Winchie and the world must never know", "If he finds us, he will kill us both", and "He has held me in his arms". After reinspection, the Chicago board required additional changes, after the closeup of Courtney on stairway and her husband has gone into Nanny's room, insert the intertitle "Convinced that the meddlesome Nanny has misunderstood their affection, Courtney thinks only of the safety of Gallatin" and eliminate the intertitles "It is true", "Where is he", and "There are times when a man must ignore or kill".

References

External links

*
Hungry Heart'' (1917) - Full Synopsis
at Turner Classic Movies * Phillips, David Graham (1909),
The Hungry Heart
', New York: Grosset & Dunlap, on the Internet Archive {{DEFAULTSORT:Hungry Heart 1917 films 1910s English-language films Silent American drama films 1917 drama films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Robert G. Vignola American black-and-white films American silent feature films 1910s American films